FAQ
Questions and answers
Is it really free?
Yes. Dovetail Tracker is in its early days, and right now it's completely free: no price, no account and no licence key.
In the future we may add paid versions or paid features. But there will always be a free version. The whole point is that a performer shouldn't have to pay just to record their part.
Do I need Ableton Live?
No. The performer only needs Dovetail Tracker. The producer needs Ableton Live 12 (Suite, Standard or Intro) to open what you send back.
Which versions of Ableton Live does it work with?
Exports are Live 12 Sets and have been tested in Live 12. Earlier versions of Live can't open them.
Does it work with other DAWs, like Logic Pro or Pro Tools?
Not right now. Exports are Ableton Live Sets only. If there's enough interest, we may add other DAWs in the future, so let us know which one you'd like.
Why not just use GarageBand or a voice recorder?
GarageBand is free, but it adds processing like compression and EQ by default, which you have to switch off before exporting a clean take. A voice recorder gives you loose files that someone has to line up by hand.
Dovetail Tracker records clean audio with no processing, and hands it back already lined up.
How accurate is the timing?
Every recording app has some delay between what you hear and what it captures. Dovetail Tracker uses the delay your devices report to place each take. In our tests with a MacBook's built-in speakers and mic, takes landed within about 4.5 ms of the beat from that alone. For comparison, a 1/16 note at 120 BPM lasts 125 ms.
Latency calibration then measures the rest, and only accepts a result when its clicks agree within ±1.5 ms.
Can I use AirPods or other Bluetooth headphones?
They work, but Bluetooth adds a lot of delay that it doesn't report: about half a beat at 120 BPM before calibration. If you use them, run the latency calibration first. Wired headphones are recommended.
Does it do MIDI, effects or plugins?
Effects and plugins: no, on purpose. There are no effects, plugins, automation or mixdown, so your takes come back clean and your producer adds all of that in Live.
MIDI: not yet. It records audio only for now, but recording MIDI is something we plan to add in the future.
What about tempo changes and odd time signatures?
A project has one tempo for the whole song, and the time signature can be 4/4 or 3/4.
Is there a Windows version?
Not at the moment. It's Mac only, on macOS 14 Sonoma or later, Apple silicon or Intel.
macOS asks if I'm sure I want to open it. Is that normal?
Yes. Dovetail Tracker is notarized by Apple, and macOS asks that the first time you open any app downloaded from the internet. Click Open.
Where does the export go, and what do I send?
Export for Ableton (⌘E) creates a folder called <Project> - Ableton next to your project and shows it in Finder. It holds the Live Set and a Samples folder with your audio.
Send the whole folder, zipped, and keep the set and its Samples folder together.
Does it collect any data?
No. It works offline, has no accounts and collects nothing. See the privacy page.
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